Dr. Anthony DeLuco: Sault Ste. Marie Family Doctor Loses Licence for Sexual Abuse of Patients

Dr. Anthony Theodore ("Tony") DeLuco practised family medicine in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for 31 years and served as chairman of the Ontario Medical Association's section on general and family practice. His practice had roughly 2,700 patients.

The Allegations

In February 2003, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) imposed conditions on DeLuco's practice pending a disciplinary hearing, requiring him to see female patients only with a chaperone present. A hearing beginning in March 2004 examined complaints from four former patients. DeLuco admitted to watching two women kiss and fondle each other in one patient's home but denied direct sexual involvement; the same patient testified he had had intercourse with her at her home and in his office in 2000 and 2001, engaged in a sexual encounter with her and a friend, and left her voicemails inviting her to his office for "private time." A second patient testified to unwanted hugs, kisses, and being shown a pornographic tape. The panel found DeLuco was not a credible witness, notably during testimony in which he disputed a patient's description of the curvature of his erect penis by offering his own account of it.

The panel accepted the accounts of two of the four complainants (Patients A and B) and dismissed the allegations of the other two.

Discipline Decision

In August 2005, the CPSO Discipline Committee found DeLuco had sexually abused patients and engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct. On September 7, 2005, the panel revoked his certificate of registration, formally reprimanded him, and ordered him to post $20,000 as surety to fund up to $10,000 in counselling for each of the two patients. Panel chair Dr. John Watts described DeLuco's conduct as taking advantage of patients "for your own selfish purposes" and warned that it risked making "every woman who goes to see a physician feel she is at risk." DeLuco waived his right to appeal. Under CPSO rules at the time, he was eligible to apply for reinstatement after five years.

Note: this page reflects the 2005 discipline decision and contemporary news coverage. We were unable to confirm his current CPSO registration status at time of writing; if he has since sought reinstatement, that is not reflected here.

Timeline

• Feb 2003CPSO imposes chaperone conditions on DeLuco's practice pending a hearing.
• Mar–May 2004Disciplinary hearing examines allegations from four former patients.
• Aug 2005Discipline Committee finds DeLuco sexually abused two patients.
• Sep 7, 2005Certificate of registration revoked; reprimanded; ordered to post $20,000 for patient counselling. DeLuco waives his right to appeal.